Sand
by whattheheezy
Summary: Hitomi's entourage is attacked by bandits, whose leader is known for never letting his captives go...
1. Chapter 1

**DiscIaimer: I don't own Escaflowne or any of its characters.**

"You're tense."

Hitomi glanced at the woman next to her, her lips parting to whisper a quick 'sorry'.

"You needn't be so nervous. Remember your etiquette; back straight, chin elevated, speak only when spoken to, and be sure his every remark brings a smile to your face. Those are the traits of a good wife."

Hitomi slightly sunk in her seat at the touch of her mother's hand on her shoulder. She supposed she meant it as a gesture of goodwill and reassurance, but at the moment it accomplished nothing but the flutter of butterflies in her stomach and steadily rising beat of her heart.

"I was as you are now when I traveled to meet your father. Only my mother was not there to support me; I was all alone. But I am here for you Hitomi- in that way, it is better for you than it was for me."

Lovingly and with great care she reached behind the burgundy veil over Hitomi's face to stroke her daughter's rosy cheeks, careful not to smear the art of her countenance. From head to toe her daughter was draped in splendor, from the silk dress painstakingly designed and tailored especially for her small frame to the elaborate golden headdress atop her head. She smiled with great pride, for though her looks had faded over the years, she was blessed to have passed on a superior beauty to her daughter.

Hitomi could only manage to purse her lips in a strange attempt to smile as she looked back at her mother. She could sense her mother was also nervous, but at the same time was overwhelmingly happy. She wanted to share in her optimism, but the circumstances would not allow. Only eighteen and already she was being shipped off to marry, and to a man more than twice her age. But then she was somewhat lucky, for her parents had been patient with her. It was customary for a girl to wed at fifteen while still in her prime, but due to her parents love for her, she was allowed these past three years to herself. It was only when her father died but two months ago did her mother have no choice but to fulfill Hitomi's betrothal.

"How long will you stay?" Hitomi focused on the floor of the coach, worried at her mother's answer.

"Until the ceremony is done and we've said our proper goodbyes. After that, you are his."

It wasn't necessarily what she wanted to hear, and the idea of being 'his' was the worst part. What did she know about that sort of thing anyway? What was there that anyone could teach her?

Her mother again reassured her, "Do not worry. I will come to you each season, and more when the children are born."

Hitomi laughed in her heart, turning to look out the window at the dry expanse of the desert they seemed all too quickly to be crossing. What did she know about parenting, about being a mother? What did Duke Fraasia know? She did not know him to be a particularly cruel man, but she'd known men to change upon receiving their bride…

Hitomi was suddenly jarred from her thoughts when she heard a shrill howl coming from the outside. It was like nothing she'd ever heard in her life, and it scared her. Straightening in her seat, Hitomi's green eyes darted to find its source.

"What was that?"

Hitomi didn't answer, only continued to look about for the one who could produce so barbaric a sound. It took but a few seconds more for that one to show himself, with two other men, riding directly behind their coach…

"Mother?" she asked, eyes wide and heart now pounding with panic.

"Bandits! Hitomi, get down, be quiet!"

Swiftly Hitomi was pulled to the floor, between the two cushioned benches of the coach. Her mother's eyes were wide with terror as she held her daughter close with all vigilance. They braced themselves as the driver sped up, the dry and rocky terrain paying little heed to the violent ride the increased speed was causing the car's two passengers to endure.

Confused, Hitomi sought to question her companion, "Mother, what-"

"It's beast men, Hitomi! Murderers, vandals, ra- "

The warning was cut short as the two side doors suddenly flew open and to the ground , revealing two masked riders on either side of the coach, preventing either woman's escape. At the site of them, both Hitomi and her mother screamed with terror. Hitomi clung to her mother as the coach rode more and more their injury, and screamed louder as she saw one of the riders reach for her and pull back just as a violent force threw her to the ceiling and her mother halfway out of the coach…

* * *

"Hold!" The man's voice was muffled from the cloths draped about his face, his eyes wide as he and his partner reined their horses, watching as the coach turned over on itself again and again, finally landing some feet away from them.

"Ruhm…" the other muttered with regret as Ruhm looked about to see who had shot the fatal arrow that met the coach's driver.

"Rajn-" Ruhm started to yell to the other horsemen who quickly approached, but was cut off by another approached from some distance.

"It can't be helped. How many passengers?"

The beast man answered swiftly, "Two, both women."

The man nodded and commanded his horse toward their target.

* * *

"Mother…Mother, they're coming. Get up…Mother…."

Hitomi tugged at her mother's cold hand with no avail as she hid behind the carriage, sobbing as she did so. Buried under the car's weight, all that was exposed was the woman's upper torso. Hitomi squinted to avoid the gore that steadily seeped into the sand from the underside of the wreckage, her sobs quickly becoming cries.

"Mother, please, Mother, I- "

Hitomi's eyes widened as she hushed herself and listened to the heavy steps that hurried her way. The horsemen were close- her mother was dead, and she had to escape.

"I love you." She whispered, and scurried over to the driver's lifeless body to salvage his weapons. He carried a sword to heavy for her, so she quickly searched for something smaller but found nothing. Panicking, Hitomi thought hard as to what might help her, and, remembering her headdress, removed it from her head, taking one of the sharp pins that once held in place as her weapon. As fast as she could, Hitomi hid it in the palm of her hand and laid face down in the sand, playing dead.

Hitomi listened carefully as the man left his saddle and walked toward her. She heard him stop and allowed herself a small peek- he checked her mother's pulse. Finding her dead, he moved on toward her direction. Closing her eyes, she braced herself for her next move and mustered her strength for the attack. She was still as he kneeled to check her pulse, turning her over. He paused for a moment, and Hitomi felt uneasy as she could feel his eyes looking her over. Opening her eyes, she took his intrigue as an opportunity to strike and cried as she stabbed the pin into his forearm with all her might.

The man's eyes widened with surprise as she did so, and quickly raised his other arm to grab her. Hitomi held tight onto the pin, removing it from his skin only to stab him again and again with quicker, more imprecise attacks. With a growl of frustration, the man finally grabbed a hold of her. Screaming almost uncontrollably and as loud as she could, Hitomi fought hard with her captor, hoping to stab, bite and scratch her way to freedom, but it was no use. He was a man and she was a woman. He had a sword and knew how to use it. All she had was a hairpin and a stubborn determination that was quickly being sapped away by the sun's heat and grief of her current situation. It wasn't long before he claimed her tiny weapon, tossing it aside for the sand to bury. And it took even less time before he had her in his hold, her back to him and his hand at her neck to somehow induce her to black out and faint in his arms.

"Lord Van." Ruhm moved to examine the blood trickling down the man's arm, but he refused.

"I'm alright." Van gestured back towards the decimated coach, "Give them a proper burial."

Ruhm nodded as Van climbed back on his horse, "It's fifty-fifty, as always. The girl comes with me."

"Yes Lord Van."

**A.N: Weird ending I know, but I'm tired of typing. Anyways, reviews would be greatly appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't own escaflowne, its characters, whatever.**

It was a beautiful wedding.

White lilies all around, men with instruments setting mood for the occasion with romantic song; doves kept in golden cages growing ever impatient for their imminent release at the announcement of the new couple, held by ten lovely maidens to accompany the splendor of her dress as bridesmaids.

Before them all Hitomi waited, silent and patient, for the man before her to award her first kiss.

Slowly he leaned toward her, as if to incur her longing, and carefully lifted her veil. Hitomi could feel her cheeks flush at merely the thought of his lips upon hers. She breathed deep as she felt the graze of his lips, and, when at last he took her mouth completely to his own, her knees began to buckle.

Anxious with curiosity, she opened her eyes to peer into the eyes of her husband; she imagined him a man with kind eyes.

She found not at all what she expected-

Instead she found a devil.

* * *

"No!"

Hitomi's arms shot into the air, as if to fight something, or someone away. As she thrashed and turned, it soon became apparent she was not where she'd imagined she was. There were no lilies, no instruments, no doves, nor were there any maidens. When Hitomi opened her eyes, all she found were her wrists bound to two posts by thick scarves, her body lain down upon flimsy cushions and her surroundings a dark room with a tiny window carved in a high wall where little light shone through.

In a strange way the gloom in which she found herself shed light on her current whereabouts; at once she recalled her journey for marriage, the accident… She winced at the pain of her mother's death. She remembered her struggle, and the man who had abducted her amidst the swirling sand. It was only common sense, then, that she must be in his secret layer.

"Hello? Can anyone hear me? Help, please!"

Her cries returned to her unanswered.

Hitomi struggled against her bonds, but to no avail. The constant pulling, turning and twisting was beginning to chafe her skin, but in her current predicament, she could care less. Hitomi's sole focus was a way to escape. Noting that her legs and ankles were free, Hitomi at once began to stand up, only to stumble backward and fall back to her previous position. Whatever the man had done to make her pass out still held some effect, and Hitomi found herself feeling dizzy. Her vision was suddenly somewhat blurred, and it was all she could do to keep her head from striking one of the posts to which she was tied.

It was Hitomi's belief that he'd slipped her something, perhaps with plans to violate her. Hitomi's green eyes widened with panic-perhaps he'd already done it… Quickly she checked to make certain her dress was not torn, especially in the places that counted. There were no serious tears; still the dress was tattered…

Her eyes began to water at the thought- she had traveled so far, waited all these years of her life, only to lose her mother in death, and be taken by some murderous barbarian, against her will and unconscious. And perhaps, when he had finished taking what he wanted, he would kill her, just as he killed her mother.

The moisture in her eyes soon formed tears, and Hitomi's grief was fully wrought. What terrible misfortune had befallen her in so short a time! She could think of not a single thing to explain the consequences of the day- had she not always been a good girl, a good person? She lived a clean life, showed mercy and gave freely to the poor, obeyed her parents, and walked with chastity as a close companion. All mandates of Escuraflrane she followed, that there might be no repercussions upon her or her family. Yet within two months time she had lost both her parents, and now she was all that was left to be beaten, tortured and broken.

Hitomi's sobs grew heavier, and she could feel a headache beginning at the back of her head, but she didn't care. The pain would be a welcome distraction from her current heartache, so she cried louder; so loud, in fact, that she failed to hear the light footsteps of an approaching person.

As Hitomi resigned to bury herself in her arms, curling into a ball, a small door opened quietly from above, and the head of a petite catgirl with bright pink hair surveyed the room below. Easily she dropped from her perch, landing in the room below without a fall. Her ears twitched, and, her curiosity getting the best of her, approached Hitomi with wonder.

Hitomi's back was turned, and merle sniffed her long hair. She paused a moment, thinking of what to say, and raised her hand to poke Hitomi's trembling form,

"Hey, are you okay?"

The touch and sound of another's voice raised Hitomi's awareness, and immediately her head shot up to see about her caller. She gasped a little when she saw before her a catgirl, one of the same kind who had released that terrible yell she heard just before the accident. Hitomi's stared into the girl's blue eyes with fear and wonder; was she the one who'd tied her up?

"Why are you crying? Hello? Can you hear me?"

The catgirls voice was growing shrill and obnoxious in Hitomi's ears with each word she carelessly spoke in her ear. What was worse was that she shook her as if she were unconscious, despite her obvious alertness. What would Isaac say if he could witness the scene? It was against the teachings for Hybrids to come into contact with humans.

"Don't touch me!" Hitomi cried out in panic, and swung around so violently that she nearly knocked the catgirl off her feet. She did not mean to be so angered, but she'd had enough curses for one day. The last thing she needed was to be looked down upon because of an assumed association with a mongrel.

The catgirl was taken aback by Hitomi's attitude- she was only trying to be hospitable, and here she was being treated like vermin!

"What's your problem, I was only trying to help!"

"Help? You're not helping me- you're one of the reasons I'm in this mess!" Hitomi shot back.

"Mess?" the catgirl cried back, "What mess?!"

"You've tied me up here like an animal, left me in this dark hole for torture! You killed my mother!"

The catgirl's eyes widened in disbelief; she didn't recall doing any of those things. "I don't know what you're talking about, but you've got an attitude! I came down here to see why you were crying, and suddenly I'm a criminal and a murderer! You've got some nerve- I'm gonna tell Lord Van about this when he comes back! In fact-"

Her threats were interrupted as a small ladder touched the floor through the hole she'd previously entered through, and a man not much older than Hitomi herself descended down its steps. The man had presence and walked with all authority that, as Hitomi watched his descent and the catgirl's awed reaction to his appearing, she supposed he was the catgirl's master, and perhaps the leader of the bandits who had brought her to this place.

"Merle, what are you doing down here?"

His voice was deep and commanding, yet soft and gentle as if he spoke to a loved one. Immediately the catgirl ran towards him, stopping just before him to grab his hand in protest, "I heard crying and went to see about it, and then this girl- she just started attacking me!" Merle looked back at Hitomi through slit eyes, and licked her tongue at her tauntingly.

The man glanced at Hitomi for but a moment, and returned his attention to Merle,

"Leave now."

As he uttered his command, her eyes turned to fishbowls, "But, Lord Van…"

It took but one stern look for her to cease her pleas, and quickly Merle jumped to the ceiling and closed the door behind her, leaving Van and Hitomi behind in complete darkness.

Hitomi trembled as she heard him taking steps- was he coming toward her?

She pivoted her head and twisted her body as best she could to get some sense of him, afraid he might try to grab her. She was no fool- her mother had told her countless cautionary tales of those who dwelled in the badlands, bloodthirsty and unbridled men who jumped at every chance to capture a woman…

Van did no such thing, but lit a candle and two others instead, adding a bit more light to the room. With the new view, Hitomi turned to see her captor- a handsome man with unruly raven black hair reaching his shoulders, and deep brown eyes, almost amber, embedded in a beautifully contoured face with skin colored a rich golden tan. Her breath stayed with her a little at the sight of him- could he be the one who so cruelly confined and held her against her will? She had so many words for him, so many angry, spiteful words, but she dared not speak them. They stayed in her heart, while she continued to take in the sight of him.

Van seemed to examine Hitomi also. His eyes quickly scanned over her form; her fine dress was stained brown from the sand, and perhaps his blood. The fine and delicate folds of red, white and gold embroidered silk that made up her dress were torn and tattered, but her beauty shone through with her deep green eyes and golden brown hair that cascaded down her back and over her chest in massive spirals, whatever style for which they were previously intended collapsed and ruined.

It was a strange moment, but didn't last long as Hitomi remembered herself and found the courage to speak up,

"I won't let you lay a single hair of your head on me!" She spoke through clenched teeth with a quiet and seething anger that did nothing to faze the man before her. He only stood there with his arms crossed, silently staring at her.

"I have no money on my person- I have nothing to give you. And what you seek to take I will not give up without a fight!"

Van smirked, "That I know already." He lifted his bandaged arm for display, the very same arm Hitomi relentlessly stabbed during their struggle. Hitomi glared at his easy tone; it disgusted her to know that the murder of her mother and one other rolled so easily off his shoulders.

"You disgusting-"

"Bastard? Savage? I've heard them all before, don't bother."

His smirk disappeared and his face turned serious as he made his way closer to her. Again there was silence between them, and his hard stare struck worry into Hitomi's heart. Quiet and with a small, pleading voice, Hitomi voiced a request of him,

"Please untie me."

Van was silent.

Her worry steadily grew to fear as she imagined he might harm her at any moment. She knew she would not be able to fight him, but if she played the docile woman, he might loosen them enough for her to perhaps scratch his eyes out. Again, only softer this time, she requested him,

"Please untie me."

"No."

Hitomi's gentle face soon fell to rage and she threatened him with all power in her voice, "When I get free-"

"You're not getting free. You've stepped on sacred land- the law forbids you ever leave this place again."

Panic set into her eyes and her heart began to beat wildly against her chest. What was he talking about? At worst she thought he might do what he wanted with her, and perhaps release her for ransom. But now he spoke of sacred land and law. What law could there be in a barren desert littered with Hybrids and murderous thieves like himself?

He gave her no chance to ask, as he turned to walk away, uttering the last words she would hear that night, or would ever want to hear from a kidnapper and murderer,

"From now on, you belong to me."

**A/N: Oh wow, so it's been a while. Looks like I got some reviews. Thanks everyone who did, you guys encouraged me to keep writing. It's like the more reviews I get, the sooner I'm motivated to update. It even looks like I have a reviewer from one of my previous stories-(FF12, anyone?). What's up, terracannon? Let's see if I can actually finish this one. Anyways, please leave reviews for this chapter. I'm trying to keep this from turning into the usual sappy and cliché romance fic- although there will have to be some sappy and cliché moments. As for the reviewer who was reminded of Crouching tiger Hidden dragon when reading the first chapter…. I don't know what you're talking about. (wink wink)**


	3. Chapter 3

It was in her hair.

She found it between her paws, coating her skin, and… on her tongue?

In vain the catgirl forced a cough in an effort to remove the grains from her throat.

It was in the air as well.

It would be a problem easily solved were it not for the lack of water as of late. Wiping thin beads of sweat from her forehead, she looked to the sun, towards the east, and wondered when Van would give the orders for their return home. Ever since they'd arrived there she'd been in misery. Besides the chaotic landscape, the dog men (whom she did not get along with, naturally) were driving a hard bargain, requiring prices she thought too high for the "privilege" to pass over their land.

What hard times they lived in, she thought to herself, when even the great Lord Van had to bargain with others in order to make a living. She grimaced at the thought of it, and tears filled her deep azure eyes in her lament; but such was the fate of nomads, as she and Van were. At least, they were nomads in her personal sense of the word. She never was overly fond of their branding as bandits. Everyone had to make a living, one way or another. And it wasn't like they ever purposely hurt anyone; that disrespectful girl was just an unfortunate exception.

She turned her face from the sky and gazed toward a mound of sand just some feet away from her. Just below it was a cave where that "disrespectful girl" now dwelled, alone with Lord Van. She made little circles in the sand with her tail, wondering how much time had passed since she left. She was curious as to what they were doing down there. What was he saying to her? And what was taking him so long to say it?

But she didn't want to question him, so she sat there patiently, as he had asked of her, drawing and retracting her claws in exercise to pass the time, her tanned skin acquiring a thin coat of sand as she waited. She didn't bother to sweep it off- she knew it would be futile, and so accepted her grainy fate.

"Where is Lord Van?"

Merle didn't bother to turn around; she had a very keen sense of smell, and the scent of he who approached was intensified by the surrounding heat. Besides all of that, dogmen were easily detected. She could have heard him panting and slobbering a mile away. Merle pointed into the distance,

"He doesn't want to be bothered. You should just wait until he's finished with his business."

"And just what is his business?"

Merle shrugged. "He'll be done soon, whatever it is. Why are you here?"

"The day grows shorter, night approaches. It's best he doesn't stay."

"I know, I know," Merle replied, her voice straining as she stretched her aching limbs, "it shouldn't take much longer. You shouldn't be so impatient with Lord Van. Don't forget whose side he was on when you and those Pungygmals were fighting with one another."

"Lord Van has not overstayed his welcome. The way I see it, he cannot- but that girl- she can't stay out here, if Lord Van plans on preserving her. We haven't many supplies out here besides the ones we've provided for your trip, and some of our brothers are growing hungry; already some have caught wind of her. They like her smell…"

Merle narrowed her eyes. That was the problem with dog men. When they got desperate, it seemed they would be willing to eat almost anything. Ruhm narrowed his eyes in return,

"I'm not one of them, if you're wondering. I just thought I'd warn you."

She wasn't suspicious of him, exactly. Neither was she overly concerned with his clan's appetite for the "disrespectful girl". By that, she didn't necessarily desire to see her devoured, but she was now the official property of Lord Van (undeserving as she was) and as such, he wouldn't let anything happen to her.

"Then you have my thanks, and Lord Van's. I'll go get him right now."

Jumping from her spot Merle moved to fetch her master, but stopped in her tracks at the sight of a figure in the distance, obscured by the swirling sands. She crossed her arm over her face as a shield, but her look was not one to discern; she knew his shape from any distance.

"Lord Van!" she shouted excitedly, waving her other arm in welcome. She was certainly relieved; now they could go home. Both she and Ruhm noticed another figure at his side, rather reluctant in its movement. Both could tell it was his new captive, her hands bound and feet dragging as she was pulled along callously by Van. As they drew closer, Merle could see the fire in her eyes; it would be a long ride home, with a hellcat like her in their company.

"Lord Van, Lord Van!" Merle ran to him, desiring a hug but knowing she would not receive one. Ruhm approached him with hurry as well,

"Lord Van, I've come to tell you- "

"Is everything ready?" His voice was muffled as he spoke behind cloths obscuring the lower half of his face. Ruhm answered affirmatively and pointed towards a cart, "That's all we have left. The wheels are a bit wobbly, but they'll ride for some distance, enough to get you home at least. I've also watered and fed your horse."

"Thank you. You've taken all you found interest in?"

"And left the rest to you- we loaded it into the cart." As Ruhm spoke his eyes glanced to Hitomi every so often. She returned his stare with a gaze cold and hard as stone. His heart was pained at that moment; he felt somewhat responsible for the death of her companions, as his men did not control themselves on coming upon their group. She struggled in vain against Van's hold as the two locked gazes, but his one arm was enough to keep her in her place. He looked at her arms, bound at the wrists by rough rope, the skin on those parts turning red and blistered from her struggles. A thought crossed his mind to ask Van to loosen her bonds if only a little, but was gone as Van tugged at her, bringing her closer to his side as he readied to leave.

"Until next time, then?"

Caught off guard, Ruhm nodded somewhat absent mindedly, his fingers wriggling in a half-hearted goodbye.

"Let's go Merle." Van, his partner and their new captive made their way to the cart. Merle jumped in readily, more than excited to leave, but after considering in whose close company she would be journeying home should she ride in the cart, decided to ride upon the horse. Though her mouth was gagged, Hitomi mumbled and screamed curses as Van lifted her onto his shoulders and dropped her into the cart. She watched with fury and secret hopelessness as he hopped upon his horse, him, the cat girl and the beast he rode upon ready to take her to an unfamiliar and savage land. By herself in the wagon, she rolled and struggled trying to break free, knowing it was no use. She was tiring herself out needlessly; she decided to wait for another opportune time to make her escape, for at the moment she was helpless.

Cold, hungry and miserably tired, she looked at Van's back as he roused his horse to movement. He glanced back at her once, then set his sights forward. Knowing he would likely not look back for some time, Hitomi's green eyes began to water. Not once since her mother's death had she allowed herself tears in mourning, and looking up at the setting sun, saw the dimming light a symbol of her fading hope. Could she not escape, she thought with worry, there was no telling what doom and misery awaited her at the hands of the one called Van…

Meanwhile, Merle held tightly to her leader, her arms wrapped about his waist and cute face leaned against his back, content at hearing his heart beat. She was lost in his smell, the scent of the outdoors, and would have found herself in the perfect moment were it not for the sand the gathered at her eyes and in her nostrils, making them water. She had a good mind to wipe the grains from her face, had the notion not involved her having to release her embrace. With impatience she wriggled her bottom as well; the sand was all encompassing, finding its way even up her dress! She frowned at the foil to her perfect ride home with Van.

That was the problem with sand-

It got everywhere.

**A/N: Oh my. It's been… a few months since I last updated this. Haven't given up on it, of course, I just have a lot on my plate with school and all. As always, please read and review and thank you for all the support so far. Next chapter should be up fairly soon, I'm on break. Well, later!**


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